Cultivator and harvester



July 4, 1950 J. w. ROBERTS cuLTIvAToR AND HARVESTER 4 sheets-sheet 1Filed July l, 1946 July 4, 1950 .-J. w. ROBERTS 2,514,338

CULTIVATOR AND HARVESTER Filed .my 1, 1946 y f4 sheets-sheet 2 \n IN VEN TOR.

Mean/77.:

July 4, 1950 J. w. ROBERTS 25,514,338

Y CULTIVATORAND HARVESTER Filed July 1, 194e 4 sheets-sheet 5 July 4,1950 J. w. ROBERTS CULTIVATOR AND HARVESTER 4 sheets-sheet 4 Filed Julyl. 1946 G/ 8 E f INVENTOR. ,fads/7rd Patented July 4, 127950' vUNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE cUL'rlvAr-on AND HARVESTER `.ackSo`W.'Roberts,mxora, nppueanan July 1, 1946, 'sefiaiivosssa-Ssfz (C1. sis- 9) 4chinas.

This invention relates to lnew and-useful improvements `in devices forchopping and clean'- ingout weeds andp'lants along -a row fandestablish-inguniformly spaced row .portions or -hills in which the.plants are left undisturbed. .It further relates to devices of thiskind which may be used `in harvesting the plants in such rows, and lithas .particular Y'relation lto devices which are adapted for attachmentto farm tractors, and to be driven .and .hauled hy the operatingmechanisms currently apart Aofzinany such tractors.

In the cultivation .of 'cotton therseedar'e usually planted continuouslyalong the row and after the plants havereachedcthe height of a =fewinches the larger portion are chopped out leaving certain undisturbedplantsat substantially uniform spacing. Alfter fsu'chfchepping the Weeds`and grass grew again between the hills y'and a `sec;- ond -and thirdAchopping' are 4otter-1 necessary.v Where chopping -is done by' niachineilt has been' substantially impossible to .register the 'machine for asecond chopping fand removal of 'any 'subsequent growth fofweeds-orfgr'a'ss Amust lhe hand work.

object -of the invention! list To provide for such purpose vas`i1n"p`le, economical and efficient device for chopping out'plantsgrass vand weeds at 'regular spaced intervals along a `row so lthat'plants-may be left 'standing 'and others therebetween may ibe cutol.

A further object is to provide such va device having parts which maybechanged to provide initially for lthinning plants and Weeds -sbsequentlyfor accomplishing more complete thinving and for laccomplishing `-thedesired Ifinal chopping.

Certain classes of plants, such fas cabbage, f-lettuce and spinach,formv heads entirely above ground, these plants being readily cut offt4lo'eloitr such heads for harvesting, this ordinarily =being done Abyhand. Other classes, such as celery, form heads :which are la'rgelyV-above ground, buft must be -zpulled up rather than -cut oil, 'and"still others of the bulbous type, such yas fonio'ns, radishes and manylclasses o'f turnip's, are of shallow growth and lare 1'usually also4pulled up by `-`hand in harvesting.

Further objects are:

"I'o provide a device'which fmay alsobe used in the -harvesting lofsubstantially any lor all lof the vabove menticnedandother plants;

"To provide aidevice -ior' offbarring or fthrowing the soil 'outward onopposite sides -o'f the' rowfto narrow the row iin -`.advance "f thethin ning, schopping or Yliti-rv@'sting "actinithe 'case' .i2 may be,'so thatrmore effectual yuse'rnay be made of the chopping Vor:harvesting mechanism;

To provide ja harvesting machine which may be used :to top plants, as intherecoveryof seed, or 'cut 01T "the surface type offplant at -or abovethe ground, or to dig in below the shallow ,grow ing type of plants :andloosen them kso that :they may be .readily gathered up;

To provide 'a carrier VNmechanism which lwill pick up rand remove theseAplants lafter Athey .have been separated;

To provide a .device `employing rotary yfdiscs which may be fadjustablypositioned 'above ithe row 'forfseed topping to v.conform to 4@thefsurfac'e of the row :to `cutaolf -plants at the surface, Ior to cut'below the surface fof. .the Arow Iand 'dislodge' shallow growingplants, `and in connection .with such discs, 'means .'for .removing thelplants 'thus cut loft if dislodged.

These objects are :accomplished by .providing a pair *of horizontallydisposed fdiscs .having sharpened .shearing edges, which .discs :aredriven to turn (at Vcoordinated .speed and 'are :provided withregistering 'gaps for .leaving .plan'ts at .uni-V form .intervals forchopping., land particularly to provide 'a device xfof `this 4'characterin 'which discs without such gaps may be readily substitutedfor discshaving the gaps :and the 4shearing action be m'ade continuous `so .thatall plants may be cut oil' as thfe machine is progressed valong l'therow, the discs being so mounted that 'ltley -inay 'be raised and`lowered to cut above 'the surfac'se of 'the row, alongfthesurface foflthe row', 0r below the surface. Y

The vmean-'s bywhich the foregoing @and other objectsare'lacooi'nplished-and Ithe -inanner of their accomplishment willreadily be understood from the following-specimen@ lupon refer-ence tothe accompanying dra-wings, iin "which:

Fig.- 'l is a side elevation of thedevice '-ascarriedy a typicalwllfkhown 'type of armitractoi.

Fig. 1A is Aa fragmentary sectional elevational view taken on the lineIA--IA of Fig. 2 showing harvester chains and drive. Fig. 1B is afragnientary sectionalwelevation rtaken fon ithe line l-Be-l-B .-'olfFig. .-fshowingfthe bevel drives "for the; conveyor chains.

-I-Eig. i3 lis ranleiilargedfscale 'transverse sectional levfationcf'oneinlyiof the two A'devices'shown n plan, the View being taken lonftlki'e dine' AII-^I-4II- Of .-11l

Fig'. f4 is an inverted plan "fvi'w' fshowing the smooth `"edgevdiscsu'sd in harvesting,

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicatedby numerals:

The present deVCe is intended to be carried t a farm tractor of wellknown type which is equipped to support, raise and lower various typesof farm implements, the tractor and its support-i5 ing and raisingmeans, while Varying in detail from others, being substantially typicalof au number of such tractors.

kThe tractor, a portion only of which is shown, includes an elongatedbox-like frameIlwhich extends substantiallyfrom its rear `to its frontend, and toward its forward end supports an upstandingA` engine'housings I2. A'ftypical seat IZA, steering wheel IZBand-post I2C arealso shown.`

The tractor is equipped on each of its opposite sides with duplicatemechanisms which cachinclude pull bars I3 and I5 which extend laterallyoutward from the frame I2 and support brackets I'I, I9. Arms 2l arepivotally hinged `vat their forward ends by pins 22 in the brackets I'Iand extend rearwardly therefrom. The brackets Il also journal atransverse rocker bar 23 to which are rigidly secured rearwardlyextendingarms 25, from which. supporting links 21, depend to the armsl2li "The rocker bar..23A also carries a rigidly securedupwardlyextending arm 29 which is coupled through a pin 3llto'fa'shiftrod 3i which extends rearwardlyyabove andalong the frame II of thetractor, andthrough a coupling 32, is engaged with a rock arm 33. Thearm 33 is secured as by a clamp 33Aon arock arm 34, disposedtransversely across Vthe tractor frame and is actuated by mechanism;carried by the tractor, which forming no partof fthepresent invention isnot shown. i v v The tractor frame II also carries a positioning. lever35 and quadrant 3'I,v and the shift rod 3l carries a stop 39. A rod 4Iris coupled byva pin ,39, to the lever. 35 and extends forwardlytherefrom. The lever 35fcarries a stop 42 lying .in the path of thestop39 on theshiftrodand limits the amount that the rod may be shiftedrearwardly, and correspondingly the amount that the parts coupledthrough the arms 29 and 25 theretomay be lowered. Y n f The brackets I9support; .atransverse rocker bar 43, to whichare rigidly securedrearwardly extending arms 45, and an upwardly extending arm 41 which iscoupled by a pin 48 to the rod 3 I. for concurrent shift -with the arm29.

through which `Shaft attachmsnt imitated-'17119 shafts 53 carry at theirupper ends pinions 51 which mesh with oppositely faced pinions 59 and 60on a cross shaft 6I, and are turned by these pinions in oppositedirections. Shaft 6I carries a sprocket pinion 63 and is driven througha sprocket chain 65 by a sprocket B1 mounted on a counter shaft 68. Theshaft 6B is driven by a sprocket 69 through a sprocket chain 'II from asprocket` Wheel 'I3 on ythe,1f@2l l. @X18 .14 0f the tractor` for'coordinated fri'iovement with the whe'els`l5'of the'tra-ctoi.``Theshaft 68 is journailed in suitable bearings which may be bearings lcarried by a bracket 'IBA rigidly secured to the undersideiof the boxframe II, as by screws 16B.

Discs forlfinal chopping have a limited numberof "edge'notches 55D whichare spaced, as in Fig .l, toefect the desired plant spacing. For

initial kchopping and thinning of the plants along ythe row, discsectors are selected and installed which have a much greater number ofedge notches 55E, as invFig.'6./Forfa second thinning, discjsectorsareinstalled having a lesser number ofl notches 55F, as in Fig. 5.v,Preferably the num-v ber of notches in the final discs are doubled inthe intermediate discs, and redoubled in the initial discs.

The arms 2l lie against opposite sides of the frame 5I, and the frame isrigidly secured to the arm by clamps l1, and is raised or lowered by thelink 2l when the arms 25' and 29 are shifted by the rod 3l'. Plow shanks8 I, which carry plow shares 83, are adjustabl'y secured to the arms 2|by clamps 'I9 and. provide'rmeans for adjusting the plow shares,relatively to the discs 55.

A j Harvesting For harvesting, the notched discs are replaced bythesmooth edgedissav shownin Fig. l4 and carrier mechanism is added whichremoves the products severed or dislodged by the discs .larf wardly andupwardly.; This mechanism comprises duplicate guide structures, eachincluding lower guide members'85,i l5A and parallel upper guide members8l, 81A which are spaced from the lower members to form guideways: forfingers 89 projecting laterally frornthe links of chain belts 9|.. Theguide members are substantially horizontal at their forward ends andrearwardly thereof,curve Iupward tovagreater height from the ground.Adjacent `rtheir forward and rea-i` endsf-the four gudemembersii, 85A;l8l, 81A are rigidly connected by Uf-shaped forks 93, l95, the fork 95.being lsubstantially` identical with thefork 93, shown in-Fig.;' 3. A p.l

lSecured to the forward `forks 93 are vertically extending supportinglegs 93A, 93B, integrally connected at ,their upperV ends and connectedthrough across membeLQL- to the duplicate guide structure. ig( y 'Y' yThe legsv93A- of the, fprwardvguide structure are Aconnected by .pins`98,adjustable alongthe slots 93B in the leg' s, to brackets 99 4whichare carried by thearrnsl for.. concurrent raising withV the raisingofthedisc frame. s The rear. forks 95 are connectedby legs 95A throughpins IIl2 to the arms 45 for concurrentrai'sing by such arms.

gi-.i'lhdforwardy .ends l,of the, chain; belts .9I pass around andaredriven by, sprockets |02 lmountedr on the shafts; 53. The rearyends ofthe chains pass around idlera.spr,oo lfiets'M14y carried byshafts Ill?,Asuitably journalled in the rear ends vof the guide structure. `Thesprockets L02 are 1vertical-1r adjustable-alegan?? shafts 5,3 and maybeheid' infadju'stedg position-'by set screws lnzA. Preferably theshaftsx53 are provided with elongated keyways"53A in `which keys- |.02Bin the hubs of lthe sprockets are slidablyimounted.

At their rear ends the chain belts described discharge above and' ontola conveyor, shown particularly in Fig. 2 as chain belts |05, the chainbelts |05 being of the same type as` the beltsSIlbut with interposedplainflinks to effectlwider finger spacing.

At their forward ends the chain` belts |05 pass around sprockets |06,journalled" by shafts |01, which shafts are carried by supports |08,secured to and depending from a` transverse member |09, secured to thetractor frameV II'. AtA their rear ends the beltsv |05- passaroundvsprockets- Harvesting operation In harvesting, where plants areto be harvested at substantial height above the top of the` row, as inthe recovery of thetop of the plants: for seed, the sprockets |02 andadjacent parts are positioned substantially as shown in Fig. 3, andsecured by tightening the set screws |02A, and the smooth edgeharvesting disc sectors 55B installed. The frames 5| and 93 are raisedto lift the discs 55 to the height above the row at which it is desiredto cut off the plants. The tractor is then driven along the rows and theplants cut off by the discs, these plants being engaged above the discsby co-action of the fingers 89 of the carrier chains and shiftedrearwardly as the machine progresses forward until they are released atthe back of the carrier frame and dropped onto the belts |05, by whichthey are further raised and delivered.

Where the plants are to be out off at row level, the relativepositioning of the sprockets |02 and the disc 55 may be maintainedunless the plants have definite heads, such as lettuce and cabbage have,in which case the sprockets are dropped as close to the discs as theconstruction will permit. The tractor is driven along the rows with thediscs substantially at row level and the plants cut off at such level,the fingers of the carrier in such case substantially underlying theheads of cabbage or lettuce cut olf and removing these heads rearwardly,dropping them onto the carrier |05, as before.

In both these operations the plows 83 are either raised to clear theplants or are entirely removed.

Where onions or other bulbous plants are to be harvested, the plows 83are installed and lowered with their bottoms substantially level with orslightly below the discs 55, and the sprockets 99 are positioned abovethe discs at a height substantially above the top of the plant bulbs.The

tractor is then driven along the rows with the plows and discs loweredto cut below the bottom of the bulbs. The plows throw the dirt outwardin front of the discs leaving the bulbs carried by an arrow ridge ofdirt. The discs 55 undermine this ridge, break up the dirt below thebulbs and dislodge the bulbs. The fingers 89 of the carrier belt embraceand clamp the tops of 6 the` plantsbetwen#thermfand thus! held, thesuspended bulbs are shiftedrearwardly until the` end o`f the carrierisreached, and the fingers 89 swinging apart release the plants andal-lbw the bulbsto drop' on the" underlying belts |05 by which they arecarried rearwardly and? upwardly for disposal. i I" claim:

l?. A-tractor carried harvester which includes a frame; shaftsvertically disposed in parallel and journalled inf said frame, withmajor portions of the lengths of said shafts projecting belowv saidframe, frame carried means for co'mr ordinating rotationof said shafts,shearingdiscs mounted' on the lower ends of said' shafts inshearingcontact the one with the-other, and-f driving sprockets mountedon? and adjustable along saidl shafts below said frame and driven bysaid shafts, tractor carried means for driving said? shafts, and tractorcarried means for'r'ais` ingand lowering said'- frame; a carrierdisposed rearwardly of said frame, said carrier includ-V ing duplicatestructures extendingrearward respectively from said shafts, each saidstructure including inner yand outer members in pairs spacedverticallyapar-tto establish guide slots, frontv and rear forks respectively"joining' and bracing said members and leg structures zrespec-l tivelyconnecting said front, and said rearforls, idler sprockets journalled bythe lrear ends of said structures, chain beltseach respectively` carriedbya, said' idler anda said driving sprock et, said chain belts havingfingers projecting in guided relation through said slots, the ngers ofthe proximate flights of said chains projecting into intermeshingrelation to establish a carrier belt, means forming part of said legstructure for adjusting the forward end of said carrier in conformitywith adjustment of said driving sprockets and tractor carried means forraising and lowering said carrier in coordination with the raising andlowering of said frame.

2. A tractor carried harvesterwhich includes a frame, shafts verticallydisposed in parallel and journalled in said frame, with major portionsof the lengths of said shafts projecting below said frame, frame carriedmeans for coordinating rotation of said shafts shearing discs mounted onthe lower ends of said shafts in shearing contact the one with theother, and driving sprockets mounted on and adjustable along said shaftsbelow said frame and driven by said shafts, tractor carried means fordriving said shafts, and tractor carried means for raising and loweringsaid frame; a carrier disposed rearwardly of said frame, said carrierincluding duplicate structures extending horizontally rearward from saidshafts, and curving arcuately upward, each said structure includinginner and outer members in pairs spaced vertically apart to establisharcuately curved guide slots, front and rear forks respectively joiningand bracing said members, and leg structure respectively connecting saidrear forks and said structures, idler sprockets journalled at the rearends of said structures, chain belts each respectively carried by saididler and a said driving sprocket, said chain belts having fingersprojecting in guided relation through said slots, the fingers of theproximate flights of said chains projecting into intermeshing relationto establish a carrier belt.

3. A tractor carried harvester which includes a frame, shafts verticallydisposed in parallel and journalled in said frame, with major portionsof the lengths of said shafts vprojecting below saidA frame, framecarried means ,for co-` ordinating rotation of said shafts shearingdiscs mounted on the lower ends of said shafts in shearing contact theone with the other, and driving sprockets mounted on and adjustablealong said shafts below said frame and driven by said shafts, tractorcarried means for driving said shafts and tractor carried means forraising and lowering said frame; a carrier structure including duplicateslotted guides having idler sprockets journalled by their rear ends,said guides extending horizontally rearwardY from said frame, andcurving arcuately upward, tractor carried means forr supporting andraising and lowering said guides concurrently with raising and loweringof said frame, and means for adjusting the forward ends of said guidesrelatively to said frame to conform with adjustment of said drivingsprockets; chain belts, each carried by a said driving and a said idlersprocket, said chain belts having iingers projecting horizontally inguided relation through the slots of said guides, the ngers of theproximate ights of said chains vprojecting into intermeshing krelationto establish a carrier belt for said structure.

4. A tractor carried harvester which includes vertically off-barringplows, a frame rearward of said plows, shafts vertically disposed inparallel and journalled in said frame, with major portions of thelengths of said shafts projecting below said frame, shearing discsmounted on the lower ends of said shafts in shearing contact the yone`with the other,` andk driving sprockets mounted on and driven by saidshafts, tractor carried means for driving said shafts, and tractorcarried means' for raising and lowering said frame and saidpplows; acarrier structure including guides having idler sprockets journalled attheirjrear; ends, said guides being disposed rearwardlyof said frame,tractor carried means for supportingl and raising and lowering saidguides concurrently with raising and lowering of said frame, chainbelts, each carried by a said driving and a said idler sprocket, saidchain belts having ngers projecting horizontally in guided relationthrough said guides, the lingers of the proximate flights of vsaidchains projecting into intermeshing relation to establish a carrier beltfor said structure.

JACKSON W. ROBERTS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNrritDv STATES PATENTS

